# E-mail outperforms other media as community builder, says US survey

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2003/04/23/email-outperforms-other-media-community-builder-says-us-survey/
- Published: 2003-04-23T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

E-mail is the most effective means for building community among non-profits’ constituents,
according to an online survey by online service provider Kintera Inc.
E-mail was
regarded as the most effective community building tool by 41% of poll respondents,
compared to 25% who ranked ‘phone outreach as most effective.

Eighteen per cent said Web sites were most effective in building their community;
while 16% noted that direct mail was best.

Of course, a Web-poll will skew the results since respondents will be largely self-
selecting. It is not clear how many people responded to the poll.

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Dr. Harry Gruber, founder and CEO of Kintera, commented “only e-mail provides the
immediacy and real-time connection that allows for this type of crucial interaction”
among supporters. He cited the example of the 2002 AIDS Walk in New York: “online
participants – a community of people with common interests – used Internet grassroots
marketing tools to raise an incredible 350% more than offline participants.”

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